Elected Member Briefing - Update on Estate Based Initiatives improvements for Perth City Locality

About this briefing note

Report by: Elaine Ritchie, Senior Service Manager, Housing

Date: 20 July 2023

Subject: Update on Estate Based Initiatives improvements for Perth City

Responsible Officer: Sophie Webber, Housing Co-ordinator, Perth City Locality

Details

Purpose

This briefing note is to update you about the Housing Service's Estate Based Initiatives programme for 2023/24 in the Perth City Locality.

Briefing Information 

During April and May 2023 the Housing Service held a number of neighbourhood walkabouts with tenants and residents across Perth and Kinross, as part of our Estate Based Initiative (EBI) scheme.

EBI is designed to deliver small neighbourhood improvements on Housing Revenue Account land.

Under EBI, Council tenants and local residents identify neighbourhood improvements during local walkabouts, attended by local elected members and housing staff. An EBI budget is designated to each Housing locality area for them to use in partnership with local communities.

Any proposed project must be on communal ground/property owned by the Housing Revenue Account and contribute to at least one of the following:

• Community Safety
• Improve the appearance of the area
• Increase tenant involvement in their community.

The EBI process puts decisions about small neighbourhood improvements into the hands of people who live in those communities.

Following this year's walkabouts in Perth City, the following community improvements have been identified to be taken forward during 2023/24:

Patch 1 (North Muirton)

• A walkabout was held in the area on Tuesday 9 May. Starting at Eriskay Place, then up to 41-55 Bute Drive and ending at Iona Court/ Jura Street. It has been agreed for three bin hubs to be put in place at Eriskay Place, Bute Drive and Jura Street. This is joint work with Community Waste. These will see individual wheelie bins being removed and large communal bins being installed.
• Concerns were raised about the condition of the pavements.  This would not be funded by EBI but has been passed to Council colleagues for them to progress.

Patch 2 (City North and Muirton)

• A bin store will be built at 17 and 19 Riggs Road to resolve issues with rubbish disposal and bins not being brought back in following collection
• Market, Milne and Lickley Courts - removal of bushes and tree roots, extend a hardstanding area to accommodate bins & take old signage away.

Patch 3 (City South and Craigie)

• A delayed walkabout was held in the Craigie area this week.  The date had to be re-arranged due to staff availability.
• Following a residents meeting at Charterhouse Court weeding work was identified in the communal area which will be issued to the unpaid work team. A number of large, dying trees will be removed under EBI.

Patch 4 (Scone and Bridgend)

• Some identified landscaping improvements at Isla Court Sheltered Housing have been referred to the Unpaid Work Team. Once this work has been done, it will be clearer if any further work will need to be covered under EBI.

Patch 5 (Friarton, Moncreiffe, Carse of Gowrie)

• The majority of this year's budget has already been committed for EBI projects in this patch. Additional walkabouts will be arranged for later this year to give residents the opportunity to earmark and discuss options for next year.
• Overgrown ground outside Main Street in Invergowrie was historically agreed to be maintained under EBI on a bi-yearly basis and this will be tidied up with this year's budget.

We will work with local tenants and residents over the next 12 months to take forward neighbourhood improvements, which will enhance the local area.

The work will be planned this financial year and every effort will be made to ensure the work is concluded, but some of the projects will be reliant on external contractors and other services.